Google has confirmed what many have long suspected: content shaped by personal insights and unique experiences tends to outperform generic descriptions, press releases, and repetitive text. The company’s newly released AI visibility guidelines refer to such material as “non-commodity” content, a term that reflects its push for originality in organic search. This shift is not a sudden revelation but a continuation of Google’s longstanding emphasis on content that offers distinct value. At its Marketing Live conference last month, Nick Fox, Google’s Senior Vice President, reiterated the company’s stance, warning against the overuse of “generic” material.
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The visibility guidelines, published in a May 15 Search Central post, define non-commodity content as work that provides “unique expert or experienced takes” beyond common knowledge. For example, a post titled “Why We Waived the Inspection & Saved Money: A Look Inside the Sewer Line” would fit this category, whereas a list like “7 Tips for First-Time Homebuyers” would not. The distinction matters because generic content, the guidelines note, often lacks originality and can originate from multiple sources, offering little new insight to readers.
Danny Sullivan, Google’s Public Liaison for Search, highlighted similar examples during an April Search Central Live event in Toronto. He contrasted commodity content such as “Top 10 Things to Consider When Buying Running Shoes” with non-commodity alternatives like “Why This Customer’s Shoes Collapsed After 400 Miles: A Wear Pattern Analysis.” These examples align with Google’s preference for material that reflects personal experience, analysis, or specialized knowledge.
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The terminology has evolved, however, as AI-driven search trends reshape expectations. Google’s new language—“non-commodity,” “helpful,” and “non-generic”—appears to address the challenges of AI-generated content. The visibility guidelines appeared in a May 15 Search Central post: Be sure that you’re writing non-commodity content that your readers will find helpful and reliable. Commodity content (for example, something like “7 Tips for First-Time Homebuyers”) is often based on common knowledge, which could originate from anyone, and typically adds little unique insight for readers. In contrast, non-commodity content (such as “Why We Waived the Inspection & Saved Money: A Look Inside the Sewer Line”) provides unique expert or experienced takes that go beyond common knowledge and the ordinary.
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Yet commodity content still has its place. Users sometimes seek straightforward information, such as product announcements, company updates, or industry news. If an audience actively demands such material, publishing it can drive direct traffic—a tactic that remains valuable. Google’s guidelines do not outright dismiss commodity content but emphasize that it should serve a clear purpose for the reader. The key, as the company suggests, is to balance originality with relevance.
